Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson is hoping to get back to his previous All-Star-caliber output during the 2022/23 season, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Poole cautions that Thompson may no longer be quite as versatile on defense as he was through 2019, and may see fewer minutes guarding smaller perimeter players. However, Poole notes that the wing’s two-and-a-half seasons spent rehabilitating from major injuries have helped him flesh out his well-rounded offensive game even further than before. Poole also anticipates that Thompson could see his minutes reduced during the regular season, with the ultimate goal being the preservation of his body for a run at a fifth NBA title.
In his 32 healthy regular season games last year, all starts, Thompson still put up solid numbers for the eventual 2022 champs. He averaged 20.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, posting .429/.385/.902 shooting splits.
There’s more out of Golden State:
- The Warriors continue to keep a rotation spot open for reserve wing Andre Iguodala heading into the 2022/23 season, which would be the swingman’s 19th in the league. Anthony Slater of The Athletic explains that the 2015 Finals MVP has developed into one of the most trusted voices in the locker room for Golden State, even as his on-court contributions have become significantly more limited. The 38-year-old has said that he will announce his eventual decision regarding his future on his podcast.
- During a potential contract year, All-Star Warriors power forward Draymond Green is looking to stay healthier than he did in the team’s title-winning 2021/22 season, when he looked like a Defensive Player of the Year candidate ahead of a midseason back injury that shelved him for two months, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area.
- In case you missed it, team president Bob Myers appeared on the TK Show with Tim Kawakami this week to discuss the team’s historic payroll, his expectations for Iguodala’s future, Golden State’s impending decision on its team option for oft-injured center James Wiseman‘s fourth season, and more. We have the highlights here.
Isn’t it Wiseman’s third season?
This will be his third season, but teams are required to make decisions on fourth-year options for former first-round picks by the end of next month.
Well, he didn’t play last season
Isn’t it the 22/23 season?
Yes! That’s been fixed, thanks.
Iggy should just retire and be a part time coach who doesn’t have to travel or something.
He has said he doesnt want to be a coach, at least right now in a few years who knows. Also players on vet minimums make like 10x what assistant coaches do.
This last season was Klay’s best on both sides of the ball in 6 years…
Assuming Iguodala comes back, my only question for GS with their current roster is shooting at the 4/3 spots to replace Porter. I think they should theoretically have enough, especially if certain others improve from within, but it is something to think about in certain matchups. I dont think it’s too much of an issue though, just something they had last year they probably wont this year
Klay had his worst yr, although everybody is happy he is healthy. Warriors probably would have still won without Klay last year. He has a lot to prove this year.
Klay was actually very good last year, considering what he was coming back from. He lost a step defensively, but that step can come back from 2+ years of playing on it again.
@ formerlyz:
“This last season was Klay’s best on both sides of the ball in 6 years…”
Lol, ridiculous – you seem to have misspelled “worst”.
Personnally trading Klay’$40M+ contract is the key point next off season for resigning Wiggs, Poole and even extend Dray + Wiseman …
The real key is for Myers and Company to continue what they have been doing and not worry about trading Klay.
Which is why you will never know ball.
Sebch, On paper perhaps. But this team is more than what you see on paper. Their synergy especially with Klay Thompson and how he affects Steph Curry on the floor, mentally, and in matchups, is what really matters.
I am getting tired of all the Warrior trade rumors that are made up by every sport writer in the country. Warriors are not making any trades right now. They will play out the season. They will probably lose one of 3 free agents next year to some owner throwing a max contract at somebody. So be it they have some good young rookies comping up to take somebody’s place.
It always amazes how many basketball experts there are. Why don’t they all have NBA jobs? With the way the Warriors coaching staff is setup, I’m interested in seeing what kind of growth comes from the young guys, especially Williams and Weatherspoon.
Weatherspoon is 26. That’s not “young” in NBA parlance.
He is a random dude on a 2 way man what are you talking about… obviously the youth is Wise/Poole/Kuminga/Moody/PBJ almost all under 21 years old. Nobody is talking about the 16th man being a building block…
Now when it comes to keeping the young guys in a couple of years they may need vets to do the Tim Duncan move and take a discount to keep the band together.
The Warriors only have 14 players signed. So, Weatherspoon is not a 16th player.
Maybe you should stop pretending you know a lot about Basketball, and learn to read. After Wiseman’s first year, the Warriors decided to focus on Player Development. They let go a bunch of coaches, and added new ones. Arvydas Sabonis didn’t play his 1st NBA game until he was 30, and he is now in Hall of Fame. The fact that the Warriors brought back Weatherspoon means that they feel he could develop into a solid player.
They also brought in the guy that is credited with turning Jokic into an All Star, and rescuing Zubaca from Euroleague obscurity, to coach Wiseman. He will undoubtedly be working with Williams, if he gets past training camp. He also could go from fringe player to solid rotation player.
Go support San Diego Warriors then
Mostly correct. No matter what ANYONE says, Steph, Klay, Dray, Wiseman, Poole, Kuminga, Moody and Baldwin are the new core and zero of them are EVER getting traded. Wiggins is the only wild card out of the group, he MIGHT leave.
Why won’t people understand this? Just coping, purely hoping and nothing else that the Warriors blow up the team for no reason at all, putting an early end to the 10+ Finals they are 1 down 9 to go with? Nah. Not happening. Lacob+Myers have stated thats the plan and they have never wavered with the exception of their offer of Wiggins+Moody for KD, which the Nets turned down, so, that’s it. KD is the only guy they would have traded for, as they won with him before. No one else qualifies, so the core is going to stay the whole time.
I cant believe theres posters on here writing whole essays about trades that have 0% chance of happening. Stop talking, go play 2k.
Without Wiggins and Poole, Warriors dont even make playoffs last year. They are both invaluable and at worst will be tradable assets. Wiggins is the one that’s urgent to sign this offseason since Poole is RFA.
“Without Wiggins and Poole, Warriors dont even make playoffs last year”
They went 53-29 last year, what a totally insane thing to say. Steph Curry is the only player who you might use in this dumb example. Without Wiggins and Poole, GSW likely finishes…in the exact same place they wound up at the end of the season. Those two are ZERO without Curry and you know it.
Curry won the title for GSW last season singlehandedly. Without him they probably aren’t winning. He’s the only one you can say who has that influence. Stop disrespecting Curry please. It makes you look awful.
Curry is the greatest but he cant win by himself. He couldnt have taken games off, play less minutes, and take time recovering from injuries without Poole and Wiggins. That’s why young veterans like Wiggins and Poole are so invaluable. You can’t discount their contributions to title run.